1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a marking tag for being applied to an item for a variety of reasons, such as for the display of information relating to that particular item. Marking tags of this kind can typically be supplied to a commercial establishment in the form of a roll having a large number of consecutively disposed, separable marking tags. The marking tags can be individually removed from the roll and applied to the desired item to be marked. Such tags commonly have at least one surface for the display of information thereon relating to the particular product, i.e., product name, manufacturer, use or care instructions, price, etc. Labels or tags of this type are generally used by retail stores for marking of the goods available for sale. The tags are also generally configured with an arrangement for fastening the tags to an object, or can sometimes simply be sewed on, or possibly stapled or pinned, when the object has at least a fabric portion.
The provision of tags, or labels in the form of a strip of separable units provides for the easier handling and/or application of the labels or tags by the retailer. For a strip of labels, there could typically generally be a substrate, or backing sheet, to which the labels are detachably adhered, and for the strip of tags, the tags can be made from a paper-like material, i.e., a thin cardboard, for example, and the tags can essentially be interconnected. For such tags, it is common to provide a continuous strip of the paper-like material with perforations defining the individual tags, wherein the perforations allow for relatively easy separation of the individual tags from one another.
2. Background Information
Conventionally, marking tags, including labels, are provided with at least one surface for the display of information thereon. The marking tags can then be printed, etc. either during manufacture, wherein a completed roll can be supplied to the consumer, or the roll can be wound non-printed, wherein a secondary printing step would then possibly be required by an intermediate source, or the end user. In general, commercial establishments, such as retail stores, also like to protect articles of particular value against theft by affixing a security element mounted in labels or tags to the articles, and installing an appropriate detector in an exit area of the store to interact with the security element. The security element interacts with the detector upon the movement of the security element within the threshold of the detection area. Accordingly, when a security element, not previously deactivated by the sales personnel, is passed through the detector with shoplifting intent, the detector should respond, issuing an audible and/or visual warning signal.
To provide such labels, the labels would be provided with a detectable security element, which security element, unless deactivated or removed, can trigger an alarm device upon passage through a detector. Such labels or tags are typically manufactured by putting together a cover layer and a security element, whereby when the label or tag is applied to the product, the cover layer essentially hides the security element from easy viewing by a potential shoplifter. In the case where such a tag might have two visible sides, a second cover layer can also be used, with the security element disposed between the two cover layers.
A known and somewhat generic method of manufacturing such labels is disclosed in German Patent No. 4238145 A1. In this known manufacturing method, a backing strip is unwound from a roll and is coated with an adhesive, whereupon a continuous, magnetically soft metal strip, which strip acts as the security element, is applied to the backing strip. Then, a cover layer is applied to the adhesive backing, and the material is then punched or stamped into the form of labels or tags.
In the known manufacturing method, continuous metal strips are used as electromagnetically active or activatable security elements. These metal strips extend in the axial direction over the entire length of a strip of labels, and thus also over the entire height or width of a finished, punched label or tag. On large labels, therefore, the surface area of the security elements is excessively large, and a significantly smaller surface area would be sufficient to guarantee reliable detection. On account of the large surface areas, the price of the labels is proportionately increased, and the disadvantageous consequence is that the labels or tags are expensive to produce.
Conventionally, such security labels are supplied on substrates to which they are fastened by means of adhesive bonding. The substrate and label material are preferably configured so that the adhesive stays with the label material rather than on the substrate upon removal of the label from the substrate. When labelling articles, the sales personnel essentially only need to detach the labels manually, or alternatively by means of a suitable hand-held labeller, from the substrate, and then secure the labels subsequently to the appropriate article by means of the layer of adhesive provided on the rear side of the label. Alternatively, the articles to be protected may be provided with security labels already at the manufacturer's site or in distributing centers.
To protect all labelled articles against theft, all of the labels supplied on a web or a roll of substrate are equipped with security elements, and the security elements are mounted invariably at the same location on each label. Because each label is provided with a security element the price of the security labels can be considerably higher than the price of conventional labels.
It is considered a disadvantage that the price of the security labels is rather elevated, being primarily due to the electromagnetic security elements integrated therein. In-depth studies have revealed that a maximum financial return can be obtained by protecting only a certain percentage of the articles exposed to the risk of theft. However, the potential cost savings are essentially nullified because of the need to use two different types of label, that is, protected labels, and non-protected labels, under which circumstances, the articles provided with non-protected labels can then easily be recognized and removed with preference. Moreover, labelling or tagging articles with two different types of labels or tags proves a time-consuming task.
It is a further disadvantage of conventional security labels that the electromagnetically active elements are invariably positioned at the same location on each label. Thus, a potential shoplifter would generally have little difficulty in recognizing the protected labels, removing the label, and carrying the then unprotected article through the surveillance gates unhindered.